Electric switches



Feb. 7, 1956 A. w. KRIEGER 2,734,114

ELECTRIC SWITCHES Filed Dec. 12. 1952 United States Patent Ofiice 2,734,114 Patented Feb. 7, 1956 ELEcrRrc swrrcnns Alvin W. Krieger, Milwaukee, Wis, assignor to Cutler- Hammer, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis, a corperation of Delaware Application December 12, B52, Serial No. 325,648

12 Claims. (Cl. 298-454) This invention relates to improvements in electric switches, and more particularly to improvements in switches of the slide-button type.

A primary object of the invention is to improve and simplify the details of construction and assembly of the parts and the operation of switches of the aforementioned character.

Another object is to provide relatively small switchesof the aforementioned character having unusually high current controlling capacity.

Another object is to provide novel forms of stationary contact and terminal members and contactors, and means of novel form for actuating the latter.

Another object is to provide a high capacity slidebutton switch wherein the deleterious effects of any electric arcing incident to circuit interruption are reduced to a minimum.

Another object is to provide switches of the aforementioned character of the double-throw type.

The novel features which I consider characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The device itself, however, both as to its organization and mode of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, most of which are of twice normal scale, in which:

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view, on the broken line 11 of Fig. 2, with parts thereof shown in side elevation, of one embodiment of the improved electric switch.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the switch shown in Fig. l with the slide-button, rivets and cover plates removed so as to expose the inner components.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation view of the carrier member.

Fig. 4 is a still further enlarged perspective view of the bridging contactor.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the subassembly of the carrier and bridging contactor.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the lower insulating plate which acts as a guide for the slide button.

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the upper insulating plate, and a portion of the metal mounting plate; said plates having alined openings of like shape and size to accommodate and guide the outwardly projecting portions of the slidbut'ton; and

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modification, illustrating use of a one-piece combined double contact and terminal member at one side of the switch mechanism.

Like reference. characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a molded base formed of any suitable arc-resisting insulating material. I prefer to employ a molded composition consisting of melamine resin and an asbestos filler. A switch base constructed of such material is effective to rapidly cool and assist in extinguishing any electric are which may come in contact therewith. Said base is preferably of substantially rectangular shape as illustrated, and the same is provided with a relatively large main recess 11 of cross form and small recesses 12, 13, 14 and 15, all of which recesses open to the upper surface of said base. Said small recesses are formed by partitions 10 10 10 and le respectively, and are in communication with the main recess 11. Said base 10 is also formed with end cavities 10, 10 10 and 10 which are of such size and shape as to accommodate the terminal portions of two pairs of right-hand and left-hand combined stationary contact and terminal members 18, 19, 20 and 21, to which are attached, in any conventional manner, the respective ends of conductors forming part of an electrical circuit or circuits to be controlled. Such end cavities extend the vertical length of the switch base 10, as best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 8. Said end cavities are partially enclosed by insulating plates 16 and 17 to thus effectively shield the above mentioned terminal portions and circuit connecting means. Contact portions of said stationary contacts are positioned within said small recesses 12 to 15, inclusive, and, as shown in Fig. 1, are formed with beveled portions such as portion 19 of stationary contact 19.

The outer wall of each of said small recesses is formed with a raised portion immediately adjacent the beveled portions of the respective stationary contacts as assembled in the switch base 10. Such raised portions provide relatively even surfaces from the beveled contact portions of the stationary contacts to the outer walls of the small recesses. End walls 16 and 10 of base it are formed with slots whereby the stationary contacts are firmly positioned so that the contact portions are within the small recesses and the terminal portions are within the end cavities. Such positioning is provided by notching the combined contact and terminal members as shown at la in Fig. l, for cooperation with notches in the end walls, as indicated at 10 m 10 and 10 in Fig. 2.

The main recess 11 is formed with end ledges 11 and 11 to provide for support and positioning of a substantially flat metal spring member 22. Said spring member 22 is provided with a downwardly extending V-shaped indentation 22 The side walls of main recess 11 are formed with oppositely spaced vertical grooves 11 and li for receiving arms 23 and 23 of the flat carrier member 23. Said carrier member is provided with a downwardly extending tongue portion 23 for engagement with and disengagement from indentation 22 in spring 22. Said carrier member 23 is also provided with an upwardly extending tongue portion 23 Said portion 23 snugly fits within an inverted V-shaped groove or recess 24 formed in the lower face of a molded insulating slide button 24. As shown in Fig. l, movement of slide button 24 to either extreme position effects pivotal movement of carrier 23. Said carrier 23 is arranged to be moved with a quick action from and to its intermediate position, the two extreme positions of carrier 23 being determined by the cross-sectional form of arms 23 and 23 and the intermediate position being determined by the cooperative action of tongue 23 with the walls of indentation 22 in spring 22".

Attached to carrier member 23 is a' bridging contactor 25 formed with end portions 25 25 25 and 25d for engagement with and disengagement from the contact portions of the stationary contacts. Contactor 25 is also formed with an opening 25' for loosely receiving the lower tongue portion 23 of carrier 23. Said contactor is attached to carrier 23 by slightly spreading the upwardly extending portions of the former to provide for movement of arms 23 and 2?: into openings 25 and 25 respec- 3 tively, of member 25 (Fig. 4). clearly shown in Fig. 5.

A flat punched insulating guide plate 26 formed with a rectangular opening 26 (Figs. 1 and 6) is adapted to seat against the upper surface of base 10. Thus, the main body portion of slide button 24 slidably rests upon partitions 10, 151 10 and 10 and has positively limited movement as defined by the extremities of said opening 26 in plate 26, as indicated in Fig. 1.

Superimposed upon guide plate 26 is a fiat punched insulating plate 27, and positioned upon the latter is a punched and stamped sheet metal cover plate 28; all of the plates 26, 27 and 28 being secured to the switch base 10 in any conventional manner, as by means of rivets 29. Metal cover plate 28 is provided with a centrally disposed opening 28 (Fig. l) to permit and guide movement of the cylindrical portion 24 of slide button 24 in opposite directions selectively. Insulating plate 27 is provided with an elongated opening 27 preferably of the same size and shape as the opening 23 in plate 28, as shown in Figs. 1 and 7. The insulating plates 26 and 27 and slide button 24 thus serve to effectively shield cover plate 28 from the current carrying parts of the switch.

As will be understood, sliding movement of button 24 effects pivotal movement of carrier 23 and of the bridging contactor 25 carried thereby. Such pivotal movement results in movement of the respective pairs of end portions 25 25 or 25*, 25 of members 25 into or out of engagement with the respective pairs of stationary contacts, as determined by the direction of movement of slide button 24 out of or into its intermediate oif position. The switch illustrated is thus adapted for selective completion or interruption of one or the other of two electrical circuits.

The switch may be readily attached to a panel or similar support by means of a pair of tabs, one of which is shown at 28 in Fig. 7, each tab being offset downwardly from the plane of plate 28; and said tabs being located at longitudinally offset points on opposite sides of plate 28, as indicated by. the correspondingly positioned notches 26* and 26 in plate 26 (Fig. 6) and by one of the notches in plate 27 designated by the numeral 27 (Fig. 7); said notches respectively accommodating the downwardly bent portions of said tabs 28 Each tab 28 is provided with an opening 28 to provide clearance for the shank of a securing screw, bolt, rivet, or the like, not shown.

Fig. 8 illustrates a modified form of the switch wherein one terminal wire is common to each of two circuits to be controlled selectively. That is, rather than employing four separate stationary contacts, as in the first embodiment, an elongated double stationary contact member 30 is provided. Said elongated contact member 30 is adapted for connection to only one terminal wire. Said contact 30 is of a shape shown in Fig. 8 and is utilized by substituting the same for either contacts 18 and or contacts and 21. It is thus seen that bridging contactor will provide an electrical connection to the common terminal wire 31 when said contactor is in either of its two extreme on positions.

It should be noted that any electric arcs which result from the making or breaking of electrical circuits are rapidly cooled and extinguished by reason of the sliding contact between the end portions of contactor 25 and the respectively adjacent walls of the arc-resisting base It The stationary contacts extend slightly beyond the adjacent arc-resisting raised wall portions of the small recesses to provide for a substantial amount of contact wear With out aifecting the desirable operating characteristics of the switch. As will be understood, the beveled edge portions of the stationary contacts and the flared end portions of the contactor 25 cooperate to facilitate movement of said end portions into and out of engagement with the stationary contacts and into and out of engagement with said recess walls.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, I have Such subassembly is provided an unusually small and compact slide button switch of relatively high current carrying capacity.

Although I have shown and described certain specific embodiments of my invention, I am fully aware that many modifications thereof are possible. My invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a double-throw electric snap switch having an intermediate off position, in combination, a molded base composed of arc-resisting insulating material and having a recess formed therein, a plurality of pairs of stationary contacts respectively adapted to be connected to electric circuits to be controlled, said contacts being positioned within said recess so that a surface of each of said contacts is in substantially the same plane as the Wall of said recess, a bridging contactor having portions movable into and out of engagement with said stationary contacts, a reciprocatable actuating member operable to eifect sliding movement of said movable contact portions into and out of engagement with said stationary contacts and said side walls of the recess selectively, said arc-resisting side walls serving to effect cooling and rapid extinguishment of any electric arc incident to movement of said contact portions to circuit interrupting position, and a substantially flat leaf spring member supported at its ends within said recess and operable with respect to said contactor to effect snap movement of the latter in opposite directions selectively in response to operation of said actuating member.

2. In an electric snap switch having an off position and at least one on position, in combination, a recessed molded base composed of arc-resisting insulating material, a pair of stationary contacts respectively positioned on opposite Walls of said base recess, each contact having a surface substantially in alinement with the respective Wall surface of said base recess, a contactor having oscillatory movement with respect to said base, said contactor having transversely spaced portions for bridging engagement with said stationary contacts, a manually reciprocatable actuating member operable to effect said oscillatory movement of said contactor to thereby effect sliding engagement of said portions thereof with said stationary contacts and the respective Walls of said base recess selectively, said arcresisting base recess walls effecting rapid extinguishment of any electric arc incident to movement of said contactor to circuit interrupting position, and a substantially flat metal spring member supported at its ends and cooperating with said contactor to effect snap movement of the latter in opposite directions selectively in response to movement of said actuating member.

3. In an electric snap switch, in combination, a molded base composed of arc-resisting insulating material and formed with a recess having a pair of substantially parallel opposite walls, a pair of stationary contacts each of which is respectively positioned on one of said opposite walls so that a surface thereof is in substantial alinement with the respective recess wall, a bridging contactor positioned within said recess and being oscillatable with respect thereto in a plane substantially parallel with said opposite walls of said recess, said contactor having end portions jointly movable into and out of engagement with said stationary contacts and the respective walls, a reciprocatable actuating member operable to effect said oscillatory movement of said contactor, and a substantially flat resilient metal spring member supported at its ends within said recess and operable to effect snap movement of said contactor in opposite directions selectively in response to operation of said actuating member, said arc-resisting walls of said recess effecting cooling and rapid extinguishment of any electric arcs formed as an incident to movement of said contactor.

4. In an electric snap switch, in combination, a molded insulating base composed of arc-resisting material and formed with a recess having a pair of substantially parallel opposite walls, two stationary contacts spaced apart on a each of the respective opposite walls so that a surface of each contact is in substantial alinement with its respective recess wall, a bridging contactor positioned within said recess between said pairs of stationary contacts, said contactor being oscillatable with respect to said base in a plane substantially parallel with said opposite recess walls, said contactor having two pairs of opposite end portions respectively movable into and out of engagement with said pairs of stationary contacts and the respective recess walls, a lever manually operable to effect said oscillatory movement of the contactor, and a substantially fiat resilient metal spring member supported at its ends within said recess and operable to effect snap movement of the contactor in opposite directions selectively in response to operation of said lever, said arcresisting Walls of said recess effecting cooling and rapid extinguishment of any electric arcs formed as an incident to movement of the contactor.

5. In an electric snap switch, in combination, a molded base composed of arc-resisting insulating material and formed with a recess having a pair of substantially parallel opposite walls, a stationary contact positioned on each of said opposite walls so that a surface of each contact is in substantial alinement with the respective recess wall, a beveled portion between each of said stationary contacts and its respective recess wall to efiect a smooth meeting of the surfaces of the stationary contacts and its respective recess wall to compensate for any misalinement of said surfaces, a bridging contactor positioned within said recess and osciilatable with respect thereto in a plane substantially parallel with said opposite walls of said recess, said contactor having transversely alined end portions movable jointly into and out of engagement with said stationary contacts and their respectively associated side walls alternatively, operating means including a manually operable lever to effect said oscillatory movement of said contactor, and a substantially fiat resilient metal spring member supported at its ends within said recess and operable to efiect snap movement of said contactor in opposite directions selectively in response to operation of said operating means, said arc-resisting walls of said recess eifecting rapid cooling and extinguishment of any electric arcs formed as an incident to movement of the contactor.

6. In an electric snap switch, in combination, a molded base composed of arc-resisting insulating material and formed with a recess having a pair of substantially parallel opposite walls, pair of stationary contacts each of which is partially accommodated Within a recess in one of the respective walls so that a surface of each is substantially parallel with its respective wall, a beveled portion on each of said stationary contacts to provide a relatively smooth meeting of the surfaces of each of said contacts and its respective wall, a resilient bridging contactor positioned within said recess and oscillatable with respect thereto in a plane substantially parallel with said opposite walls of said recess, said contactor having a pair of transversely alined end portions biased outwardly for engagement with said stationary contacts and the respective side walls selectively, operating means to effect said oscillatory movement of the contactor, and a substantially flat resilient metal spring member supported at its ends within said recess and operable to eifect snap movement of said contactor in opposite directions selectively in response to operation of said operating means, said arcresisting walls of said recess effecting rapid cooling and extinguishment of any electric arcs formed as an incident to circuit interrupting movements of the contactor.

7. In an electric snap switch, in combination, a molded recessed base composed of arc-resisting insulating material, a pair of stationary contacts partially accommodated within the respective opposite walls of the recess in said base and each contact having a surface in substantially parallel relation with the respective wall surface of said recess, a beveled portion on each of said avatar stationary, contacts to provide for relatively even meeting of the surfaces of said contacts and the respective walls of said recess, a resilient bridging contactor having oscillatory'movement with respect to said base and movable into and out of engagement with said stationary contacts, operating means to effect said oscillatory movement of the bridging contactor into and out of engagement with said stationary contacts and the surfaces of said recess walls selectively, said stationary contacts extending into said recess beyond said walls thereof to permit of a reasonable amount of contact Wear, said surface of said arc-resisting base recess walls effecting cooling and rapid extinguishing of any electric are formed as an incident to circuit. interrupting movements of said contactor, and a substantially flat resilient metal spring member supported at its ends within the base recess and operable to eifect snap movement of said contactor in opposite directions selectively in response to opposite movements of said operating means.

8. In an electric snap switch of the slide-button type, in combination, a molded base composed of arc-resisting insulating material, said base having a recess formed with a-pair of substantially parallel opposite Walls, a pair of stationary contacts on one of said walls so that a surface of each of said contacts is in substantial alinement with each other: and with the respective recess wall, a bridging contactor positioned within said recess and 0scillatable with respect to said base in a plane substantially parallel to said opposite recess walls, said contactor having end portions movable into and out of engagement with said contacts and the respective side walls selectively, an elongated stationary contact in the other end of said side walls, a pair of end portions on said contactor movable into and out of engagement with the elongated contact selectively, a reciprocatable actuating member operable to effect said oscillatory movement of said contactor, and a substantially flat resilient metal spring member supported at its ends within said recess and operable to effect snap movement of said contactor in opposite directions selectively in response to operation of said actuating member, said arc-resisting walls of said recess effecting cooling and rapid extinguishment of any electric arcs formed as an incident to circuit interrupting movement of the contactor.

9. In an electric snap switch of the slide-button type, the combination with a molded insulating base having a recess formed therein, a pair of stationary contacts within said recess and adapted to be connected to an electric circuit to be controlled, and switch actuating means comprising a slide-button formed of insulating material, of a bridging contactor having resilient side portions movable into and out of engagement with said stationary contacts, and a carrier for said bridging contactor pivotally positioned within said recess and engaged by said resilient side portions of said contactor to prevent substantial relative movement therebetween, said carrier having an open pivotal connection with said switch actuating slide-button to be moved by the latter to a plurality of different positions selectively.

10. In an electric switch of the slide-button type, the combination with a molded insulating base having a recess formed therein, a plurality of pairs of stationary contacts within said recess and each pair of stationary contacts being adapted to be connected to an electric circuit to be controlled, and switch actuating means comprising a molded insulating slide-button, of a bridging contactor having resilient side portions movable selectively into and out of engagement with said pairs of stationary contacts, said side portions being biased outwardly to insure good electrical contact thereof with said pairs of stationary contacts, and a carrier for said bridging contactor pivotally positioned within said recess and engaged by said resilient side portions of said contactor to prevent substantial relative movement therebetween, said carrier having an open pivotal connection with said switch actuating slide-button to be moved thereby at will to a multiplicity of different positions in response to manual actuation of said slide-button.

11. In an electric switch of the slide-button type, the combination with a molded insulating base having a recess formed therein, a pair of stationary contacts within said recess and adapted to be connected to an electric circuit to be controlled, and switch actuating means comprising a molded insulating slide-button, of a bridging contactor having resilient side portions movable into and out of engagement with said stationary contacts, said side portions being biased outwardly to insure good electrical contact thereof with said stationary contacts, a metal carrier for said bridging contactor pivotally positioned within said recess and engaged by said resilient side portions of said contactor to prevent substantial relative movement therebetween, said carrier having an open pivotal connection with said actuating means to be moved thereby in response to actuation of said slide-button, and

a substantially flat metal spring member supported at its ends within the recess and engageable by said carrier to effect snap movement of said contactor respectively into and out of engagement with said stationary contacts in response to manual operation of said slide-button in opposite directions respectively.

12. As an article of manufacture for use in an electric switch of the slide-button type, an assembly including a stamped, resilient sheet metal contactor of substantially U-shape, the arms of said U having contact portions formed integrally therewith, said arms also having axially alined openings formed therein, the connecting portion of said U also having an opening formed therein, and a relatively rigid punched sheet metal carrier member having a pair of oppositely disposed pivot arms readily insertable into and extending laterally beyond said alined openings for pivotal support by a suitably formed insulating base, said carrier member having a tongue portion projecting downwardly through the opening in said connecting portion of said contactor, and means including an arm formed integrally with said carrier and extending upwardly a substantial distance beyond the intermediate portion of said contactor to afiord an open pivotal connection between the same and in insulating actuating member of slide-button form, the resiliency of said contactor and the Interlocking connection thereof with said carrier insunng against any substantial relative movement between said parts.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,878,667 Both Sept. 20, 1932 2,038,902 Peterson Apr. 28, 1936 2,203,555 Von Hoorn June 4, 1940 2,315,035 Andis Mar. 30, 1943 2,334,007 Hutt Nov. 7, 1943 i l r 

